The present invention relates to a slicing machine particularly suitable for slicing food products, such as for example salamis or ham.
Known slicing machines are currently used which comprise a base or frame, for resting on a surface, from which a supporting arm for a circular blade protrudes upwardly.
The blade can be turned by means of an electric motor.
A supporting carriage for the product to be sliced is slidingly associated along the frame and can be made to slide manually or automatically in a radial direction with respect to the circular blade, so as to cut a slice of product every time a translational motion is performed toward the blade.
Slicing machines are known which comprise devices for adjusting the thickness of the slices, for example by adjusting the distance of the plane of arrangement of the carriage with respect to the fixed plane of the blade, with a movement that is therefore perpendicular to the blade.
The main drawback of these conventional slicing machines is that sliced products are usually stored in a refrigerator and products to be consumed hot require a subsequent treatment in a pan or oven; this additional operation does not allow to cut thin slices, since in moving them in the pot or oven they might break up.
The need is also felt to prepare dishes for example by flavoring the slices of product; this is done manually by the user, with consequent unevenness, on each slice, of the flavoring, constituted for example by oil, lemon or any sauce.
This leads to the custom of abounding with the flavoring, using it in excess, so as to achieve the goal nonetheless: the direct consequence relates to a waste of flavoring, with considerable disadvantages in economical and food-health terms, since one is unable to dose the quantity of flavoring as a function of the regimens imposed by diets that are sometimes vital for ill individuals.
The aim of the present invention is therefore to solve the above noted problems eliminating the drawbacks of the cited known art, by providing a slicing machine that allows to achieve a quick and optimum slicing of a food product, such as for example a salami or ham, even if they are taken from a cold or refrigerated environment.
Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a machine that allows to slice a product rapidly even if such product has a low or extremely low temperature.
Another object is to provide a machine that allows to simplify and optimize the step for preparing and/or flavoring the food product.
Another object is to provide a machine capable of improving the quality of the processing of the food product while reducing the costs and time required by the operator.
Another object is to be able to provide a machine adapted to provide simply and very rapidly a process suitable to provide a customization on each resulting slice of product.
Another object is to provide a machine that is structurally simple and has low manufacturing costs.
This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a slicing machine, according to claim 1.